In the biathlon range, Canadian national team members Sarah Beaudry and Emma Lunder are sure shot specialists. Away from the range, their specialty is the triple espresso shot.
For the second year in a row, biathletes turned baristas Lunder and Beaudry were chosen to receive $10,000 each from Starbucks as part of their North American-wide Elite Athlete Program to support their training. Both work at the Canmore Starbucks location on Railway Avenue, and plan to compete for Canada this year on the world cup and IBU Cup circuits.
The duo said the funds would be used to pay for team fees and ski tours. Biathlon Canada athletes must pay $7,500 to represent their country, and IBU Cup tours must also be covered out of pocket, typically totaling $4,000 or more per trip.
“We got the call in July, and that was such a relief,” said Lunder. “After having it last year and seeing how much it helped us both – to get it again is pretty amazing.”
Both are coming off successful seasons. Lunder won silver last year in Canmore at the IBU Cup sprint, while Beaudry was sixth in the individual race on home soil (after their races, they actually served many of the athletes they beat at Starbucks).
They will compete for a spot on the world cup team on Nov. 10 and 13, when Biathlon Canada hosts its trials race, and both want to be in the running for the world cup races in Canmore on Feb. 4-7, 2016, which promises to be the biggest biathlon event in Canmore’s history.
The extra funding means they will be able to focus more time on training without financial stress.
“It means I can support myself on my own. I don’t have to get money from my parents and I don’t have to work a ton of hours,” said Beaudry, who currently puts in two shifts a week at Starbucks. “I definitely enjoy the people I work with. It’s a different group of people. There are regulars you see, and you feel like you know more than just the ski community in Canmore. It’s a break to not just think about skiing.”
Many employers in the Bow Valley hire athletes, which can provide a challenge for scheduling, but Beaudry and Lunder said they appreciate the effort. They give their training plan to their manager, Natalie, who ensures the work plan and training plan merge seamlessly.
“It’s so neat Starbucks is able to acknowledge their staff has different aspects to their lives. They know we work hard and it’s great they can support us,” Beaudry said.
“It allows us to work a little bit less. Having that extra bit of recovery, it gives us an equal playing field to everyone who doesn’t have a part time job,” said Lunder, who notes most of their competitors don’t have to work.
“We have customers, some I’ve known for five years, come in and ask about our racing. Working for a company that supports our athletic careers is amazing.”
As for what they’ve learned as baristas, neither are shy about their skills. “I’m all about the mile high whip cream. I got pretty skillful at putting that on,” Beaudry said.
“I can make anything that anyone comes up with. I have perfected the art of caramel drizzle. Sarah does the whip cream and I do the drizzle. It’s awesome,” Lunder said.
